"THAI Airways has cancelled the use of one of its two freighters operated by Southern Air.

THAI had a block space purchase (BSP) contract for two years – ending March 2012 – for the two 777-200 LR freighters. Pichai Chunganuwad, managing director of THAI’s cargo and commercial mail department, confirmed the move and that THAI will now have to pay Southern a US$8.8 million penalty fee."

The SOO aircraft painted in DHL colours will operate a round-the-world flight, routing CVG-BAH-HKG-CVG. It will alternate with a 747-400 from Polar.

Here's an example of why the 777F is the superior long-haul freighter: The 744F will need full tanks to operate HKG-CVG, a flight with a block time north of 15 hours, around 170 tons in rough numbers. This means it can only carry a payload of around 40 tons. The 777F only needs 110 tons of fuel, leaving room for around 85 tons of payload. Double the payload with 40% fuel burn reduction? Why, yes, that's exactly the thing the 777F was build for. Nothing, but nothing, comes close to even thinking of touching the 777F in the long-haul, heavylift, cargo market ..... and that includes the 748F. Unless, of course, you need a nose-door.

From receips and radials over straight pipes to big fans - been there, done that, got the hearing defects to prove

So Southern will operate one 777 for Thai and one for DHL. Someone has already posted the DHL route, what is the route the Thai aircraft is flying? I've heard that Southern has also signed a deal to fly a 777 for TNT. Are they going to be operating the 777 that TNT has just received? I have heard it will be a CMI (Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) for TNT.

Saw this aircraft today at CVG. It has been in and out the past two days that i'm aware of. It departs CVG heading to EDDP. That makes 2 77F and a handful of 747F that CVG is seeing on an almost daily basis. DHL is really building up their operation more and more. It's great to see such an array of aircraft.

Quoting ROSWELL41 (Reply 17):Are they going to be operating the 777 that TNT has just received?

Unless TNT has changed their plans recently (anything is possible), the TNT 777s are leased from Guggenheim and crewed in-house. The first one is in service and the other two will join the fleet by the end of the year.